Attachment for rifles.



PATBNTED JULY 3, 1906. s. A, ALBEN.

ATTACHMENT TOR RULES,

APPLIGATION FILED 'FEB,13, 1905.

1: MATA@ NrrnD srATEs rArENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed February 13, 1905. Serial No. 245.362.

To @ZZ whom t may con/cern.

Be it known that I, SrLAs A. ALDEN, of Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Riiies, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple and convenient attachment adapted to hold any appliance, such as a lamp, telescope, range-Ender, special sight, &c., at one side of the receiver of a riiie, the said appliance being behind the usual muzzle and breech-sights, and, if a lamp, in position to direct its rays upon the barrel and the sights.

The invention consists in the improvements which T will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents va side view of a rifle, having connected thereto an attachment embodying my invention having an illuminating device engaged therewith, the illuminator being shown indotted lines. Fig. 2 represents a side view showing a different embodiment of my invention. Fig. 3 represents a top view of the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a side view, on a larger scale, of

Vthe Yattachment shown in Fig. l, the illuminaf tor being detached. Fig. 5 represents an edge view of the attachment shown in Fig. 4, showing a lamp attached thereto. Figs. 6 and 7 represent side and edge views of the attachment shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 8 represents a view similar to Fig. l, showing a telescope attached to the rifle. Figs.9 and l0 represent side views of the attachment adapted to hold a telescope. Fig. 11 represents a diierent form of telescope-holding attachment.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents the receiver of a rifle, the same having the usual flat sides a a. b and Z1 represent the usual sights on the barrel of the rifle.

In carrying out my invention T provide an attachment comprising a coupling member d2, adapted to engage a complemental coupling member on a lamp, telescope, rangeiinder, special sight, or other appliance to be supported by a rii'le vand provided with means for detachable connection with the receiver 0,. Tn this embodiment of my invention I have shown as the said means a clamp d,

which is preferably a U shaped piece of metal adapted to bestride the receiver, its arms being provided with bearing-faces d d, formed-Lto it the iiat sides a a of the receiver, said arms being widened at their lower ends to afford an increased bearing-surface against the receiver. By this arrangement when the clamp is in place on the receiver it will bear iirmly thereon without any tendency to wabble. On the outer side of one of the arms of the clamp is formed the coupling member (Z2, which, in its simplest form, is a dovetail enlargement of said arm. The appliance to be supported by the clamp, in this case a lamp c, is supported by a carrier provided with a complemental coupling member c2, formed to engage the member d2, .said members establishing a firm connection between the clamp and the lamp, whereby the lamp is held V`firmly in a position determined by the position of the clamp upon the receiver. In this embodiment of my invention the coupling members c2 and d2 are so arranged relatively to the bearing-faces d d of vthe clamp that when the clamp is applied tothe receiver the coupling member will hold the appliance in proper relation to the riiie. For instance,

if, as in this case, the appliance is an illuminating apparatus it will hold the same at one side of the receiver and in position to direct the rays along and across the barrel of the rifle and upon the sights b b. The arms of the clamp are extended to project from the sides of the receiver sufficiently to engage a device for exerting inward pressure on the arms, and thus causing them to positively grip or engage the sides ofthe receiver. Said device is preferably a bolt s, having a head s at one end formed to bear on the outer side of one of the arms, its opposite end portion being screw-threaded to engage a tapped orifice in the other arm.

The coupling member (Z2 may be formed on one of the arms oi' the clamp, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, or it may be offset from the clamp, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, and 7, by an arm d3, Jformed or affixed to one of the arms of the clamp, the coupling member (Z2 being formed pn or affixed to the outer end of the arm d3.

It will be seen that the described attachment is adapted to be readily applied to and removed from a riiie and that it is extremely simple and can be readily packed in small compass, so that a sportsman can readily include it in his outfit.

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I do not limit myself to the details of construction here shown and may variously modify the same without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It is obvious that the coupling member d2 may be formed for application to some other part of a rifle and may be positively attached by screws or otherwise. I prefer to secure the coupling member by a clamp, as here shown, the attachment as a whole, including the coupling member and the clamp, being simple., durable, and convenient and requiring no adaptation of the receiver, such as the formation of screw -holes therein. The clamp does not interfere with the operation of any of the movable parts of the action of the rie nor with the operation of ejecting shells. The coupling member may be used for connecting any other desired appliance, such as a telescope, range -finder, special sight, &c., to a rifle.

ln Fig. 8 l show a telescope n connected to a rifle by my attachment and in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 constructions of the attachment v adapted to secure the telescope. That in Fig. 9 has a portion d adapted to embrace the receiver of the rifle and a portion di to .surround the tube of the telescope. Fig. 10 shows the attachment for holding the end of the tube nearest the muzzle of th'e rifle, in which d5 is the part surrounding the telescope-tube and d that for engaging the barrel. The part di in these constructions is the coupling member engaging the telescope. ln each case a bolt s clamps the attachment to the rifle, while bolts s2 between the parts engaging, respectively, the telescope and rifle bind the attachment to the telescope.

When the telescope is mounted on the attachment d, (shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5,) the holder shown in Fig. 1l is used. This holder has a shank or carrier j, a band f to surround the telescope-tube, to which it is secured by a set-screw or other clamp f2, and dovetail coupling member f3, adapted to en'- gage and slide on the member (Z2, being adjustable thereon. It is retained in adjusted position by a clamp or set-screw f1.

I use the term rifle herein in a broad sense as designating any firearm adapted to be held like a rifle in firing.

I claim-d l. An attachment for firearms comprising a clamp, one of its side members being provided with an enlargement, securing means for said clamp, and a dovetail coupling member carried by said enlargement.

2. An attachment for firearms comprising a clamp the side members of which are provided With bearing-faces, securing means for said clamp, and a dovetail coupling member carried by one of the side members of said clamp.

3. An attachment for firearms comprising a clamp, one of the sides of said clamp being provided with a dovetail enlargement form- Iing a coupling member.

4. An attachment for firearms comprising a clamp, one of the sides of said clamp being widened to form an integral coupling member, and securing means for said clamp.

5. An attachment for firearms comprising a clamp, the sides of said clamp being widened at their lower ends to form bearingsurfaces, and a coupling member carried by one of the sides of said clamp.

6. An attachment for firearms' comprising a clamp, a coupling member carried thereby, and a carrier having 'frictional engagement with said coupling member.

7. An attachment for firearms comprising a clamp, a dovetail coupling member carried thereby, and a carrier provided with a dovetail member for engaging said coupling member.

8. An attachment for firearms comprising a U-shaped clamp, one member of which is provided with a lateral enlargement to form a coupling member, and a screw connecting the free ends of said clamp.

In testimony whereof l have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. SILAS A. ALDEN. Witnesses: l

C. F. BROWN, E. BATCHELDER. 

